September 24 - 30, 2020 Arriving Home and Getting Things Back in Order

Sept 24, Thursday

We got up and out of the RV park about 10:00 AM. Steve wiggled the RV out of the tight spot. He did a great job! We will not stay here anymore. We went through Kansas City like a breeze. We stopped to get gas and eat lunch. After eating, we walked the dogs and I took some pictures of the flowers by the roadside. We had a discussion and decide to stay overnight at Wichita instead of going the rest of the way home. Steve was tired and I was fine with that. We stayed at a nice park, USI RV Park. The host guided us to the site and helped get us situated. Then we set up, had supper and watched TV. 

Entered Missouri on Sept 23, 2020

Saw this nifty car when we walked the dogs. 

Bridge in Kansas City

 

We entered Kansas

Sept 25, Friday

We got up and left Wichita about 9:30 or 10:00 AM. We paid $5.25 for the toll road! We arrived at Perry about Noon. We got home and left the RV in the driveway until we get the satellite dish off the roof. The first thing I worked on was the mail. Then we had some problems at home: the thermostat needed batteries; the ice maker gave Steve trouble in getting that hooked up and re-started; The internet was off; The yard was not mowed and the handle on the toilet wasn’t flushing properly and let water kept running. So we had some things to take care of after arriving home. 

We have arrived in Oklahoma!

This guy greeted me when we arrived home! Hazel & Linda got him for me

Sept 26, Saturday

We got up and Steve got the satellite dish off the RV roof and that went pretty well. We got the RV parked under the RV carport. Then we started Kristi’s car and filled it with gas. We also went to the post office. We also unloaded the back of the pickup and went to Walmart fro groceries. By then, we were pooped and watched some football - OU lost and OSU won!

Sept 27, Sunday

We  walked the dogs this morning after breakfast and getting around. I sorted more mail. Then we rested more because we didn’t sleep good last night. Again we watched football and took it easy. Dallas lost to Seattle. 

Sept 28, Monday

We had breakfast and then walked. We also did laundry. I helped Steve unload the window air conditioner from the pickup (the one we had to buy in Montana). I mailed a birthday card to Marsh and check out some bills. Steve did computer research on what tires he wanted to buy for his pickup. Mary made an appointment for  an oil change for the car. We also got a call from Winnebago about a new, much higher price for the slide ram part that we need. So we told them we would have to think it over. The first estimate was almost $2,000 and this new estimate would be closer to $4,000. WOW!

Sept 29, Tuesday

After breakfast, I got ready for the WW Zoom meeting. Next we went to O’Reily’s for a kill swithc for Kristi’s car. We also did a few other errands around town and went by Lind’a shop to get an appointment for hair cuts. We came home and worked on Kristi’s vehicle and then had lunch. Then we rested and watched some TV. Linda  went out to supper with us at La Macarena. Tonight was the presidential debate and we watched it - hoping to be entertained. But actually it was just a shouting match. 

Sunset from Perry

Nice Camero we saw at La Macarena

Sept 30, Wednesday

After breakfast and getting dressed we took our dogs for a walk. When we got home, Steve started checking out the generator exhaust. I watched and unloaded stuff from the RV. We stopped for lunch and then did some more work. Steve ordered the exhaust manifold from Onan in OKC. Then Winnebago called us and asked if we had decided to go ahead with the slide ram repair. We had talked it over, and decided to go ahead, because it is still cheaper than a different RV. Plus it is a real hassle to start shopping for an RV. I also joined the Winnebago Club - which is supposed to save us 10% on something - either parts or labor. Anyway……

September 21-23, 2020 The Winnebago Experience

Sept 21, Monday

We were up at 6:00 AM to get ourselves ready to take the RV to the Winnebago Service Center.  Everyone is supposed to be there by 7:00 AM. We have an appointment - so we will definitely be seen. But other people arrive without appointments and are on a first come, first serve basis. We got there and a lady gave a little speech about how they would handle the COVID -19. They have not had any problems because they are following careful procedures. We are to enter and they will take our temp we can sanitize our hands, then a tech will talk with us. And we get a wristband that indicates we have been checked. Next they take the RV to the shop and spray it (with sanitizer). When we pick up the RV it will have been sprayed again. OK, sounds good. We leave the RV in their capable hands and head out in the pickup with the dogs. We drove to Thorpe Conservation park, which had a few camping spots, a little pond and a cabin that could be rented. 

Sunrise from the Winnebago Courtesy Camping spot
You won't see many of these from me!

 

Pond at Thorpe Conservation Park

Cabin to Rent

 

Contact for cabin rental

Next we drove to Crystal Lake. This is a really nice little spot. There is a nice campground there with a lake and boat ramp. We walked around by the lake and explored the campground. The dogs loved it there because there was lots of lush grass and squirrels! They also have disc golf here - if you are interested in that. 

After that we decided to drive to Clear Lake, IA. This is the Buddy Holly crash site. We found the memorial. There is a path through the cornfield and you can walk to it. The dogs really enjoyed all our exploring. It was starting to warm up and getting close to lunch, so the next stop was Wendy’s to get a lunch salad and a frosty. Yum! 

 

We've seen a lot of this grass! I think it's really pretty.

Windmill we saw on our driv

If you look closely - you see a little shed/cabin by th pond

Pumpkins for sale!

By then, it was about time to return to Forest City and check back on the RV at Winnebago. The tech talked to us about the jacks and what he did to adjust them. He didn’t seem to think they were much of a problem. But the Slide Ram was another deal. First of all, since our RV is older, the part will have to be made and it will be about 4 weeks before that is done. So he explained all that and encouraged us to think it over and let them know in the morning  what we want to do. We returned the RV to the Winnebago parking area (with electric site) and had a snack and a nap. Later we picked up supper at A & W and then watched football. 

Sept 22, Tuesday

Today we got up a little later, about 8:00 AM. Then after breakfast and walking the dogs, we returned to the Winnebago service center. We talked to the tech again and he said to hang around town and they will find out about the cost of the part and other details. So we went and got some cash, washed the pickup and stopped at the grocery store. We also took the dogs on a walk in the town park - Pammel park.

Bridge at Pammel Park

Weird animal

We saw a weird animal in a tree and I have no idea what it was. It was not a squirrel! We were back for lunch at the RV. Steve did some computer research about the RV part we needed. Then about 3:00 PM we went back to Winnebago and paid a down payment for the part and returned to the RV for supper. The part is supposed to cost about $1000 and then approximately $1000 for installation. OK, well that is cheaper than a different RV. We finished the evening with a walk and some TV.

Sept 23, Wednesday

After our usual morning routine we hook up the pickup and headed south on I-35. Left Winnebago (Forest City, IA) about 10 AM. It was a pretty nice drive. We stopped for the night at Liberty, MO (outside Kansas City, MO) for the night at a very crowded RV Park. We did a little walk and pretty much stayed inside. We did watch some TV. There wasn’t a good place to walk the dogs and this place kind of creeped me out. There are lots of people living here full time and I am not sure that all of them are behaving themselves. LOL The name of the place is Millers Kampark Campground. The people in the office were nice, but the sites were very tight. We will pick another place next time.

Lush grass

Winnebago Service Center

Thunderbird parked near visitor Center

Winnebago Service Center

Roadside Flowers

Poopsie on the Dash

Another beautiful flower

Yellow grass

Roadside flowers

Made it to Missouri